“Okay, and what are you going to Rome for?” my father asked.
“Well, not specifically to Rome… to the Vatican,” I replied.
My mother shot onto her feet as if driven by a spring:
“Manu, son, have you lost your mind? As soon as they see you they’ll put you in jail,” she said, almost screaming with nerves.
My father approached her, took her by the shoulders and said:
“Don’t exaggerate, the boy has not done anything wrong.”
“But didn’t you hear him?” she said looking at my father. “An atheist in the Vatican, that’s surely a crime, how are they not going to arrest him?”
“And how are they going to find out? Or is he going to put up a big sign saying, ‘I’m an atheist,’ said my father.
She immediately responded with concern:
“Don’t make jokes about it, I’m sure they can tell there.”
“Mom!
